Conference Agenda

A key goal of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is the design of a connected Trans-European Nature Network (TEN-N) of protected areas across Europe, built on the existing Natura 2000 sites. Within the NaturaConnect project, we have developed narratives of possible nature futures for Europe that provide a socio-cultural context for a TEN-N blueprint, where local systems, cultural values, and a more sustainable use of natural resources are emphasized. Societal perspectives on future biodiversity conservation in Europe have been integrated through a process of co-design with stakeholders. The narratives are equivalent in terms of economic and demographic drivers, are aligned with European policy objectives and targets, and use the IPBES Nature Futures Framework (NFF), that account for multiple values and perspectives of nature. Each narrative is distinct in its value of nature (intrinsic-Nature for Nature; instrumental-Nature for Society; relational-Nature as Culture) and presents contrasting priorities for seven topics: Protected areas, Connectivity and Restoration, Forestry, Freshwater ecosystems, Urban system, Agriculture, Energy. Despite these differences, the narratives share some commonalities across the topics which include solutions that accommodate biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provisioning or support the achievement of all three NFs, for example, reducing the space for artificial surfaces.

Accelerated urbanization leads to inevitable city expansion, emphasizing the need for development strategies that minimize ecological impact. Current debate centres on two strategies: land sharing, promoting larger, greener cities, and land sparing, focusing on dense development to potentially free land for nature beyond city limits. In this study, we explored the impact of urban growth on biodiversity in Tel-Aviv metropolitan area, Israel, using simulated scenarios of land sharing and land sparing. This region (>300 km²) includes 12 cities along with rural and natural landscapes. An extensive systematic bird survey with over 2,000 points was conducted across the region. We simulated 2050 urban growth using densification and sprawl strategies, altering land cover pixel by pixel. Using MAXENT, we modelled the distributions of 77 bird species and applied them to these scenarios. Results show that land sharing markedly changes regional bird distributions more than land sparing. It leads to an 80% increase in building cover and predicts a 30% decrease in non-synanthropic species' occupancy and a 50% increase for synanthropic species. Conversely, land sparing results in a mild 2% decrease for non-synanthropes. Our findings demonstrate the need for urban densification strategies and highlight the value of considering regional dynamics in urban design.

Preserving key areas for conserving biodiversity and nature services provided to humans is crucial in guiding society toward sustainable development. To capture different societal preferences about the role of nature, IPBES formulated the Nature Futures Framework (NFF), applicable across multiple spatial and temporal scales. It brings out three values of nature: the utilitarian value in the “Nature for Society” (NfS), based on the services provided by nature, the relational value, relying on personal connections between humans and nature, in the “Nature as Culture” (NaC) perspectives, and the intrinsic value in the “Nature for Nature” (NfN). This work aimed to identify no-go areas in Italy, using the recently developed NF narratives for Europe, adapted to the Italian context. In particular, for NfN, we collected a map of areas important for species conservation based on the distribution of Italian vertebrates; for NfS, a map of important areas for the provision of ecosystem services, such as the mitigation of climate change, the regulation of environmental hazards, and air quality; for NaC, a map of natural areas that are relevant at cultural level or for recreational activities. By overlapping them, we found consensus no-go areas, useful for driving a conservation-oriented development in Italy.

Rewilding has gained traction as an approach to restoring wildlife, mitigating climate change, and creating transformative change. However, scaling up rewilding efforts is challenging due to complex nature-people relationships. Effective stakeholder engagement is crucial for successful rewilding. Participatory scenario planning can help understand the benefits and trade-offs of rewilding. We conducted workshops and interviews with local stakeholders to develop narratives linking social and natural values, using the Nature Futures framework to reflect on the positive futures of nature. We studied the German Oder Delta, using participatory methods to identify perspectives on rewilding. Our approach helped us understand the benefits and challenges of rewilding by considering diverse nature values. We discussed the importance of rewilding peatlands in the area, highlighting the need for tailored strategies that address diverse landscape values. These strategies range from restoring dried peatlands close to protected areas to improve landscape connectivity to restoring peatland water dynamics for vital ecosystem services like water regulation. By recognizing the multiple values of nature, we can expand the scope of rewilding actions and challenge the conventional narratives surrounding biodiversity conservation. This value-driven approach can lead to a successful implementation of rewilding measures and scale up such efforts to larger areas.